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In Heldon nobody particularly likes liner notes. However, although the groups’ albums have none they abound, from the very beginning, with clues and often cryptic references. The name of the group, obviously, comes from a science fiction novel by Norman Spinrad, but perhaps it is less well known that the title of the album Un Rêve Sans Conséquence Spéciale (1976) is taken from a pirate recording of King Crimson made in 1974, an elegant way to state the possible lineage between guitarist (and synthesizer player) Richard Pinhas and Robert Fripp, his peer in the British band. Likewise, Richard Pinhas values the philosophers Lyotard, Nietzsche and Deleuze (whose lessons he followed at Vincennes), and the cover of Un Rêve Sans Conséquence Spéciale quotes another intellectual, Pierre Klossowski, a theology specialist, according to whom all creators owe it themselves to provoke a “state of insecurity straying from the oppressive regime of mediocrity”, words which could be considered as a mission statement for Richard Pinhas!

Having been a precursor of the home studio, Richard Pinhas came to the Davout studios to record the fifth Heldon album Un Rêve sans conséquence spéciale originally released in 1976 on the Cobra label. He had a special space reserved for him, where there was a Moog 3 which had belonged to Paul McCartney.
Intense, violent, bitter, abrasive, uncompromising: the first on-site recording is in keeping with the four predecessors, prefiguring both Industrial- and post-rock, showing once again that the early references to “guerrilla electronics” (and to William S. Burroughs) were not in vain! The newcomers to this universe, bassist Didier Batard (Cœur Magique, Triptyque), on one track, and drummer François Auger (heard on the fifth album by Gérard Manset) finally transform Heldon into a fiery power trio for the inspired “MVC II”. Without forgetting that the faithful Patrick Gauthier is also on board, as is Jannick Top (Magma), each on one track.

Listening to the result it is easy to understand why Merzbow, Wolf Eyes and Oren Ambarchi, in the 2000s wanted to record with Richard Pinhas! It must also be noted that the often-made comparison between Heldon / Richard Pinhas and King Crimson / Robert Fripp, while still pertinent, is insufficient, as Un Rêve Sans Conséquence Spéciale breaks much new ground beyond those horizons.